dataDyne Research: Investigation is the second level in Perfect Dark. It is set in the Laboratory Basement, under dataDynes headquarters.
Briefing[]
Background
A dataDyne scientist calling himself Dr. Caroll has contacted the Carrington Institute requesting that we rescue him from the dataDyne headquarters tonight. He claims that he has complained to dataDyne about the moral implications of his current project, but rather than dismiss him, they will mentally restructure him until he finds the nature of the project acceptable again.
You'll need to use your remote comlink to get past the door to the sector where Dr. Caroll's lab is located. Unfortunately, we've detected huge levels of electro-magnetic activity around the laboratories which interfere with all our comms equipment. Convince the scientists to shut their experiments down. Remember that they are noncombatants; don't kill them. And don't forget your Data Uplink, Jo - it may come in handy.
Objective One: Holograph Radioactive Isotope [A,SA,PA]
Use the CamSpy to obtain a spectrographic photo record of the isotope on test in the dataDyne basement labs. Dr. Caroll has linked the isotope to an enhancement of the currently experimental shield technology item, also present in the laboratories.
Objective Two: Start Maintenance Cycle on the Security Systems [SA,PA]
Reprogram the cleaning robots in the service area to start work on the security systems. This will permit you to get farther into the laboratory complex, though you will have to stay close to the robot you reprogram if you want to remain unharmed.
Objective Three: Shut Down the Experiments [SA,PA]
The experiments in sector two of the laboratories are causing extreme interference with the communication uplink, preventing hackers from cracking the security lock code. Get the scientists present to shut them down unless you want to risk setting off alarms by doing it yourself. Be careful not to kill the scientists.
Objective Four: Obtain Items of Experimental Technology [PA]
Dr. Caroll informs us that there are three other major projects nearing completion besides his own. You are to collect the prototypes for the three projects and return them to the Carrington Institute for assessment.
Objective Five: Locate Dr. Caroll [A,SA,PA]
The basement is divided into four security zones - Dr. Caroll is in the last of these areas, sector four. In-between the sectors are systems designed to keep out those without clearance, such as you. Bypass them as best you can, and search for the scientist in the final sector.
END
Walkthrough[]
ALL
Skip the cutscene and head left from the elevator. Around the corner is a guard, shoot him and stop by the door. Note that if you head right from the elevator instead, there's a computer in the next room that can be used to open a floor hatch in a room later on, though it's not very useful.
A
Open the door and shoot each of the four guards as they emerge from the bulletproof glass panel. Continue through to the next room.
SA PA
Turn left from the door and you'll be looking at a (locked) secret door, which will shortly be opened by the hovbot in the area. Follow the passage and a low glass barrier will be seen down the slope. Shoot out the glass and drop down. Turn around, head towards the computer screen and hit the use button. Turn left and shoot any guards that can be seen, then use the other computer to complete the second objective. Turn round and exit the room.
Climb the slope and turn sharply left to another slope with a guard at the top, facing the wrong way. Shoot him before he has a chance to turn on you and head to where he was, crouching behind the crate to avoid being shot by the other guard. Take him down and continue along the corridor, killing any guards you see. Switch to the CMP if you haven't already and open the door at the end. Take out the two guards at the opposite end of the room and the other two that come out the door next to them. Proceed into the room.
ALL
Depending on when you arrive here, one of the doors may have been opened by the hovbot and you may have to take care of some guards who spot you through it. Also note the hatch on the floor, this is the hatch mentioned earlier.
Go through the door with "CAUTION" written on it, and open the next door. Shoot both guards before they can react and open the next door, but don't walk through it. Equip the CamSpy, and send it towards the green crystalline looking object in front of you. Take a picture once close enough, then switch back to Joanna. You don't need to pick it up again, oddly, and it can in fact be destroyed without failing the mission.
If you want, you can head left or right and run around the central room to find a hidden Proximity Mine. However, doing so will temporarily make the screen very blurry and cause minor damage to Joanna.
Turn round and head back into the larger room with the hatch. Turn right and head through the door, taking out the guard behind it if he's still there. Open the next door and shoot any guards you see patrolling the corridor. This will probably alert the guards from the alcove ahead and to the left, so be prepared for them too.
Speaking of that alcove, head there and open the door. Off to the right, there is an elevator which you should get on. At the bottom, shoot the guard, taking care not to kill the scientist. Take his K7 Avenger to partially complete an objective. Agents and Special Agents don't need to do this, but it's worth picking up anyway. Head back up the way you came. There is Avenger ammo in the nooks and crannies in this room (as in a few other labs), grab it and head back to the corridor.
A
Head towards the other end of the corridor, looking into each alcove to kill the guards there.
SA PA
Head right and go to the end of the corridor leading off of this one then open the door. There is a guard each to the left and right, eliminate them and grab the Avenger ammo. Approach the scientist and he'll shut down the experiment. Once he has, leave the way you came and get back to the main corridor. Head down it to an alcove on the right and kill the two guards here.
SA
Head to the end of the corridor, making sure to kill the two guards on the left here.
PA
Go through the door and shoot out the glass, then grab the Night Vision and ammo boxes, and leave the way you came. Head to the end of the corridor, making sure to kill the guards to the left.
SA PA
Enter the door behind them. There is a guard at each side again, kill them and force the scientist to shut down the experiment while you grab the Avenger ammo. Open the double doors, and the next set to reach the last experiment needing to be shut down. This scientist is less cooperative than the others; instead of shutting down the experiment, he will use the terminal that sets off the alarm. Once it's clear which one he's going to use, pistol whip him or punch him and try each of the other terminals 'til the objective is complete. Head back to the corridor.
ALL
Head through the door on the right and shoot the guard slightly to the left. Kill the other guard further to the left and anyone who comes through the other door. Open this door and kill anyone remaining, then open the next door. The hovbot will temporarily deactivate each set of lasers when it comes to them. Use this to get to the end of the corridor. Open the door and shoot the guard to the right, then open the next door and shoot the two guards in the room.
A
There is a shield in the windowed area just to the left of the door you entered from. Only the rightmost window can be broken to access it.
ALL
Go through the door at the opposite end of the room, and open the next one too. Before you go through the door, you can shoot a guard standing to the left of it on the other side. Take out the other guard once he's alerted.
SA PA
If you picked up the proximity mine, throw it on the floor at about the middle of the room. If not, use the secondary mode on the Dragon you just picked up instead. The reason for this is that two guards will spawn in this room once the terminal in the next room is used, and this will kill them.
ALL
Head into the room and use the Data Uplink on the terminal. Once it's cracked, go through the door and head to the end of the corridor. Open the door and snipe one of the guards with your K7 or Dragon. Take out the rest of the guards and head into the room.
PA
Go through the door on the left. All the other doors in here will open automatically. Move to the next door and a guard will pop out from the outcrop on the left. Take him out and the next door will open, revealing two more Dragon-toting guards. Once they're dead, continue through all the automatic doors to reach a room containing a prototype shield. Grab it to complete the objective and get back to the room with the glass cylinders.
ALL
Equip the K7 Avenger and use its secondary mode. Open the door opposite to the one you first entered from and back up. The K7 should highlight the autoguns up high, destroy the two you can see.
PA
There is a third autogun on the other side of the structure that the first one was on. Edge forward while looking up, then blow it up once you can see it.
ALL
Now simply open the door at the end of the corridor to complete the mission.
Weapons Cache[]
The first weapons cache in this level is particularly awkward to obtain. There is a terminal in the room where the cleaning bot is reprogrammed, which must be reached without being spotted. This opens up a locker containing the double CMPs.
To get it, watch the opening cinematic all the way through, and then wait in the elevator until footsteps are heard. Now head out and pistol whip the guard in the back, and proceed through the hidden door, break the glass and drop down as detailed above. Now send the CamSpy round the corner and lure the two guards out through the door, then quickly move it away until they stop following, or they'll destroy it. Switch back to Joanna and move round the corner, taking note of the lockers on the right, and go into the small alcove, and use the terminal. The lockers will now be opened.
Weapons[]
Falcon 2: Equipped by Joanna from the start. Guards have a chance to pull one when disarmed.
CMP-150: Most of the guards carry these. There are also a couple in the room just beyond the lasers.
2x CMP-150: This is the first weapons cache for the level, and is found in the room where the cleaning bot is reprogrammed. There is a terminal that you must use without being spotted, which will open the cache.
Dragon: The guards towards the end of the level carry these.
K7 Avenger: The guard in the firing range carries this weapon, and it is part of one of the objectives of the mission on Perfect Agent.
Proximity Mine: There is one behind the radioactive isotope. Keep in mind that you'll take damage and go dizzy in this area, so be quick about it if you want it. This is one of the weapons caches in the level.
Items/Devices[]
Data Uplink: Equipped by Joanna from the start.
CamSpy: Equipped by Joanna from the start. Used to holograph the radioactive isotope, completing the first objective.
Night Vision: Found in one of the labs, it is part of one of the objectives on Perfect Agent. It's entirely useless within the level however.
Shield tech item: The final tech item required for the Perfect Agent objective. It's found at the end of a corridor coming off from the second last room.
Gallery[]
Cheese[]
The cheese in this level is found in the room with the uncooperative scientist. There is a glass floor with pipes underneath it, in the small alcove surrounded by terminals. Looking down through this glass you should easily spot the cheese.(SA or PA Only)
Leaderboard Crown[]
Close Proximity
- REQUIREMENTS: Simultaneously kill three enemies with the hidden Proximity Mine on Agent difficulty
- The mine is found in the far back of the room which houses the radioactive isotope (see Walkthrough). You will only get one however, so the level will need to be restarted if you mess up. After retrieving the mine, proceed down the long hallway leading up to the laser grid without killing any guards. While they are chasing you, wait until they are grouped together then throw the mine at their feet or at the wall nearby. Keep in mind that the mine has a short delay between when it's thrown and when it will explode, so it is possible to overshoot the approaching guards if you throw it carelessly.
Cheats[]
Slow-mo Single Player
- REQUIREMENTS: Beat the mission on any difficulty
- This cheat will slow down Solo Missions in an amount equivalent to that of the Combat Boost. If a Combat Boost is used while this Cheat is active, time will return to normal speed instead of slowing down further, the effects of which will last as long as the Combat Boost is active.
- REQUIREMENTS: Beat the mission in under 6:30 on Perfect Agent difficulty
- In Co-op for Solo Missions, the Pugilist will be an AI buddy (Like Velvet Dark) who will only use his fists as a weapon.
Notes[]
SA/PA Only - Whatever order you visit each of the three scientists, the third one will always go for the alarm terminal - ideal for speedrunners!
Perfect Dark - Missions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Mission 1 | DataDyne Central: Defection • DataDyne Research: Investigation • DataDyne Central: Extraction | ||
Mission 2 | Carrington Villa: Hostage One | ||
Mission 3 | Chicago: Stealth • G5 Building: Reconnaissance | ||
Mission 4 | Area 51: Infiltration • Area 51: Rescue • Area 51: Escape | ||
Mission 5 | Air Base: Espionage • Air Force One: Antiterrorism • Crash Site: Confrontation | ||
Mission 6 | Pelagic II: Exploration • Deep Sea: Nullify Threat | ||
Mission 7 | Carrington Institute: Defense | ||
Mission 8 | Attack Ship: Covert Assault | ||
Mission 9 | Skedar Ruins: Battle Shrine | ||
Special Assignments | Mr. Blonde's Revenge • Maian SOS • WAR! • The Duel |